Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Everyman a Rifleman

Every Man Should Have A Rifle

So I sit and write and ponder, while the house is deaf and dumb,
Seeing visions "over yonder" of the war I know must come.
In the corner - not a vision - but a sign for coming days
Stand a box of ammunition and a rifle in green baize.
And in this, the living present, let the word go through the land,
Every tradesman, clerk and peasant should have these two things at hand.

No - no ranting song is needed, and no meeting, flag or fuss -
In the future, still unheeded, shall the spirit come to us!
Without feathers, drum or riot on the day that is to be,
We shall march down, very quiet, to our stations by the sea.
While the bitter parties stifle every voice that warns of war,
Every man should own a rifle and have cartridges in store!

~ by Henry Lawson, 1907 ~


4 comments:

MagiK said...

Very wise words for any time, especially these times.

nzgarry said...

Agreed Immagikman, agreed.
Henry Lawson (Australia) was not only poor all his life - he was deaf as a post.
From the writings left us it's clear that ordinary people (those with sense) could see both World Wars approaching long before they got started, yet the politicians failed to prevent them.
I note this verse was written 7 years before WW1 and that it took about the same time span for Hitler to get WW2 underway.
So what of Iran, do we start the clock ticking the day of their first nuclear weapon test - or is it already?.
Our sons Miles (USA) and Angus (New Zealand) are 15 and 12 years
respectively and even I can figure how old they will be in 7 years.
We would be proud for our sons to serve in the military of either country but worry about them being caught in a war that could be prevented now.

By the way Mr Rasimus, the weapon pictured isnt a Rifle - it's a WMD!.

nzgarry said...

Ahh - now I see, It's some kind of AK47 derivative.

Ed Rasimus said...

Unfortunately we've contorted WMD in the lexicon into meaningless drivel applied wherever necessary to elevate charges in an assault. WMD classically means Nuclear, Chemical and Biological--truly capable of causing mass destruction. A bomb is not WMD. An explosive device is not WMD. An automatic weapon is not WMD.

Now when it comes to assemblage of tin cans and stampings into a firearm (otherwise known as an AK-47 derivative) then I might agree that it isn't a rifle.

I personally opt for AR clones rather than AK/SKS sorts.